Engineering a Point-of-care Viral Concentration Device for Rapid Molecular Diagnostics of Influenza in Human Respiratory Specimens

We have developed a portable, simple to fabricate, and highly effective polymeric microfluidic sample concentration device to increase the speed and sensitivity of molecular diagnostics of influenza from patient respiratory samples. This method is more friendly than off-chip methods to in-line on chip processing since it obviates the need for a centrifuge. The disposable chip fabricated with xurography utilizes evaporation and interfacial dragging effects. Up to 18 times concentration for viral RNA from influenza A virions was achieved by evaporating 1 mL to 50 μL in 0.5 hour or less with an average recovery of 60.3% (+/-20.5%) from patient specimens.